Morning journal and courier., 1887-10-06
o
 FROM ALL QUARTERS. TIE BALL SET ROLLING At The American Board "' Meeting.
 NO COUNCILS TO BE CALLED For The Examination Of Missionaries, ClEVELAND'S DAY AT CHICAGO, The Putnam PhaIanX Att
 Mt. Vernon.
ClEVELAND'S DAY AT CHICAGO,
THE CHOICE OF MISSIONARIES

Inexpedient To Cali Councils
 SPRINGFIELD, Oct. 5.-When Secretar,
 Judson Smith read the report of the pruden tial committee at the American Board' , meeting this morning upon the advisability
 of calling councils to determine the doctlina
 views of missionary candidates the grea,
 struggle of the meeting was launched. Al
 Des Moines last year the board adopted tht
 following resolution
 l The board recommends to the nrudentisI com
 mittee to consider in difficult cases turning upon
 doctrinal views of candidates for missionary Ser
 churches, to be constituted ia some manner which
 may be determined by the good judgment of the
 Of the candidate and the committee is instructed nual meeting.
 Upon this resolution the committee in De-
 cember put the following on their records:
 'The committee was unanimous in the opin-
 ion that the resolution passed by the board gave no authority to the committee to call 8 council prior to the presentation of it's report
 at the next annual meeting, on the expedien- | cy of calling such councils" Of the many I letters received by the committee some fa- vored councils, but majority of them op- posed them. The committee review the ! x. | first, in the absence of precedent, missiona-
 ries were ordained by councils. But less I than twenty were called and the practice was | discontinued over fifty years ago. The com l mittee first take up the theological views of candidates, consider the intrinsic objections ! to councils in such cases, examine the nature of the Congregational council, and hold that it is inadequate to the examination of mis- sionary candidates.
 On the last point they say:
 Congregational councils usually consist of repre. often from smaller, rather than greater, num-
 ton of our country They are never in any sense
 or relation ecumenical No church or body of
 over other chuFcbes The advice and R infiuenee of
 every eouncta are aS g general thing restricted to
 guards for local interests the result relating to
 c6Tca D on nsS o e and gsonp of
 by another group of churches, especially in dis aries Come from districts where the popuason % is sparse that councils infreQuent and incon- represent or act for the constituency of a body scattered over the whole territory of the United
 lands also. The right, privilege and fact of becom ing missionary of the American Board are much I more restricted than those Of becoming pastor at home; does membership in an evangelical | church furnish all the evidence of Christian char ton as pastor at home sti less for appointment DO to the missionary service although even such lax of councils, at the instance of churches. now as formerly no less and no more than fornerly-t to inducr into the ministry It is function of the prudential committee to appoint missionaries, and to do it n yiew of their % entire makeIH To fern as unwise as it is unprecedented. Councils belong cannot consistently be made coordnate. They eT ist usually for only few hours majority of the members ordinarily have little or no acquaintance with the candidate
 Another point made is that discrepancies or contradictions appear in the testimony re- garding applicants. "An ultimate umpire is therefore indispensable. If result of coun- cil is only advisory ultimate decision must rest with the prudential committee. If the decision of council in the matter now con- templated is to be regarded as final then ! virtually appointment will rest with purely l local and transient body. Unsatisfactory re- suits could certainly be depended upon" The action of the board in 1871 in disapprov- ing council to decide whether missionary had been rightfuliy summoned home for un- orthodox views is held to be a precedent ! against councils regarding applicants. The conclusion of the report is as follows:
 The method pursued hitherto by the board in re- three-quarters of century there was no friction 1 and no criticism. Recent embarrassment has | arisen chiefly from interference during the custom ary course of inquiry, and by an unwarranted pub of unfinished business. The usual method. 5he past year, still comments itself the wisest and pest should the method so long tested, and with satisfactory results, have the approval of the board and its friends, present embarrassments will nents will be averted more satisfactoriiy than in any other way. Seeing, then, that Dy general con- cannot appropriately. call ecclesiastical coun- ,iis in any case; seeing that to call such coun- ! views of candidates would be open to very grave ! and that to call them for all candidates councils, being local, sphemeral and irresponsible, Ire inadequate for the purpose named; seeing that n hA co1nn of Oav,ls iates would produce friction and dissatisfaction; md seeing that unity of trust in the appointment ,f missionaries and in the administration of funds Or their support has borne the test of long expe- ths aHd T secure wider harmony than any measure submitted for their consideration inexpe- iient
 The points in the report indorsed by the applause of the audience were those against making public candidates views in favor of !n undenominational character of the board, l !gainst councils as transient and irresponsi- ole bodies, and the intimation that the recent riction had arisen by publicity during in- luiry and by the unwarranted publication of business, and that the best way , would be to continue the old course. The | lose of the paper was greeted with cordial I approval.
 The Rev. Henry T. Cheever, of Worcester, hen offered resolution that the future pro- , ,ation doctrine should be no bar to mission ny service. Some applause was given and ! ome misses. Mir. Cheever was ruled out or rder, ss the question was on the adoption of ! he report on councils.
 Ex-President Porter of Yale moved that ! he report be referred to special commit Co and not be adopted without chance for lebate. Dr. A. H. Quint said the report | S ould be discussed freely, and there was no i ccasion for special committee. Dr. Porter hen withdrew his motion, and Dr. Quint moved that the report be made 8 special rder for the afternoon. Dr. Quint's motion { vas adopted unanimously. r
 When the report was taken up Rev. Dr. Odd, of New Haven, made a strong plea l gainst the employment of councils, so that | he rich and the poor who unite in support e ng the board shall have voice in selecting 8 he men who are sent out by the board. Rev. | g oseph Cook said this was the great transi- ien period in Japan. Shall we SOW Asia with self-contradictions in this critical period D her history? A movement is now matur- z ng which may if we do not distract them TOW into great national Chinese church. agree with Lyman Beecher, who said he t Vas willing to follow the main lines of Con- q regational polity, but not over Niagara. e iev. Dr. George F. Pentecost said that no c hurch feels bound to accept the findings of previous councils, but examines each new 'astor when calling him, and what no church ubmits to this committee refuses to submit | 0. The committee is really council chosen r nnually. At home we can accept novices 'ut they are surrounded by influences that | will correct error, but abroad it is wholly ifferent. Prof. Smyth, of Andover, wished ' o correct statement on page of the report [ hat it is forty years since the board made his decision. He read from the minutes of ] 871 in support of his statement. The ques- ion was called for, but Rev. Dr. W. E. Mer- | iman offered as an amendment to add: But . his board does not in any way disparage ' hereby the results of councils as represent- ng the fellowship of the churches" Dr. F. !. Noble, of Chicago, spoke against Dr. Mer- ' iman's amendment and it was lost. f
 The question was then voted upon of dopting the last clause of the report of the c prudential committee that it is not expedient [ o call councils to deal with difficult cases nd it was passed by no yeas and 19 nays. T
 The evening session was opened by singing | ollowed with prayer by General Whittlesey g if Minnesota. Rev. J. L. Jenkins, of Pitts ! ield, made remarks expressive of the charac- CT and worth of 4ex-G Governor ". B. Wash ,urn. A resolution of appreciation of his worth and coincidence with his family was a ldSptef and committee of six, of which [ Vice President Blatehford wasschairman, was ]